Chapter 7 - A trip up the mountain. After only a week into the game, my nerves were shot. Every shadow and noise made me jump, as if Grandpa Walter might be lurking around any corner. Fortunately, Grandma Rose had put her foot down and banned any shooting inside the kitchen. That meant I couldn't take out Grandpa from the safety of the kitchen, but he couldn't get me either. I had chosen wisely when I declared the kitchen my hideout - it had everything I needed to survive: food, water, a bed, and a sense of security while Grandpa patrolled the hallway outside. The only problem was, there was no bathroom in the kitchen. Eventually, nature would call and I'd have to make a risky move. Grandpa did pause the game a few times. The first was when my guns kept sticking in my holster. He showed me how to use tallow and wax to cure my holsters to make the guns slide out without sticking, and the second time was when he showed me the 180 rule. The 180 rule was all about the turning radius of my shoulders to the target. There were a couple other rules about elevation of the gun in your hand, both for the hip gun, and the cross-draw gun. By the end of the second week I was getting better. At least I wasn’t dropping my guns on the ground as often. One time I’d lost my grip and tossed my gun so hard, it slid across the floor and stopped at Grandpa’s feet. Grandpa only turned and walked away shouting, “Rose, if that’s an oak sapling, it’s got root rot.” In the third week, I got a terrible lesson delivered by Grandma Rose. I was coming to get some lunch and found Grandma Rose standing at the stove. I stopped in the doorway, something felt wrong. I’d spent so much time being chased by Grandpa Walter, I was getting a sense when something wasn’t right. “Grandma, is everything okay?” I asked. “You need to learn that sometimes your hideout isn’t safe,” replied Grandma. Grandma turned around, and was holding a shotgun in her hands. I dived to the side of the door just as a deafening blast roared from the shotgun. I felt a few of the pellets hit my boot as I hit the floor and rolled away. I scrambled up to a sitting position with my back to the wall. “Grandma! What the heck!” I shouted. “You’re supposed to be on my side.” “I am on your side, tadpole, you can come in now.” “No, you’re going to shoot me!” “I’m not going to shoot you, once was enough for the lesson.” “You almost shot my foot off, it’s dangling by the bone.” “Don’t be so dramatic, it was only a spoonful of rock salt, your foot is fine.” I took my hat off, I have a really cool hat I found in storage, and put it on the end of my gun and poked the hat around the corner. When nothing happened, I leaned over and peeked around the corner. Grandma had set the shotgun aside and was now sitting at the table sipping a cup of tea. I went to sit down at the table. Grandma reached a hand out and laid it on top of mine. “Johnny, I buried too many men and boys during the war, I don’t want to bury you too.” “I understand, I’ll be more careful.” “How long can you keep this bunker running by yourself?” I’d been wondering that myself. We were still in lock-down mode, which meant we were completely buttoned up and self-contained from the outside world, but that meant keeping all the machines running smoothly. “I’m getting behind on some maintenance. The CO2 scrubbers need cleaned, the oxygen generator needs serviced, the turbines need oiled, and I need to test the water to make sure there’s no bacteria in the pipes, and I definitely need to run a hand-check with the Geiger counter. I also want to use the portable shortwave radio antenna and try to contact Uncle Paul, if he’s still alive, but I’ll only go out at night so nobody sees the antenna, or me.” “Don’t let him sweet talk you, Rose,” said Grandpa. “Highwaymen don’t stand around waiting for you to fix a broken wagon wheel, they attack when it’s least convenient. He needs to figure out how to do his work and defend at the same time.” I turned in my chair to see Grandpa standing in the doorway to the kitchen. “He’s right, tadpole,” said Grandma. “You need to be able to juggle a lot of tasks if you’re going to hold the mountain, but I am concerned about you going outside.” I looked back at Grandma. “I have to try and contact Uncle Paul.” Grandma’s eyes flicked up to Grandpa, questioningly. “He’s not ready,” said Grandpa. “Grandpa, I admit I’m no good with the revolvers yet, but I am good with a 30-30. I saw one in your armory. Dad always had me on backup when he was chasing trespassers out, and I’ve been hunting plenty of times. I’m spot-on at 150 yards, but I can hit a target at 230 yards.” “Your father did a good job teaching you to shoot a rifle, but I wish he’d spent some time teaching you hand-guns.” “I’ll be fine, I really need to talk with Uncle Paul.” “Alright, go get the rifle, there’s ammo for it, and switch your revolvers out with real bullets.” I gathered my supplies for the trip up the mountain: a rifle with bullets at the ready, a portable shortwave antenna and handset, tools to open the antenna housing unit, and a full red hazmat suit. Despite knowing that most of the radiation would have dissipated by now, I didn't want to take any chances among the piles of toxic ash. Once I was geared up, I ascended the spiral staircase of the escape tunnel as quietly as possible. The metal antenna clanged against the hand-rail, making me cringe at the noise. If Mr. Miller could hear me when I opened the hatch for him earlier, then anyone above ground could hear me too. I paused at the top, straining my ears for any sound of movement before cautiously unlocking the hatch. My hand gripped my revolver tightly in its shoulder holster as I slowly pushed open the hatch just a crack, ready for whatever dangers may await me outside. I pushed open the rusted hatch, its hinges creaking loudly in the stillness of the night; I knew I'd forgotten something, the hinges needed oiled. The darkness was thick around me, and I could feel my heart beating faster as I climbed out. My feet touched the rocky ground, and I paused, straining my ears for any movement that might indicate danger. But there was nothing - no crackling of a campfire, no footsteps approaching. It was just me and the mountain, surrounded by an eerie silence. I checked my watch and saw that I had an hour before my oxygen tank would run out. I took a deep breath and started up the rocky path towards the summit. As I climbed higher, the familiar sounds of civilization had been completely replaced by an unsettling absence of noise. It felt like the mountain itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen, but I focused on reaching my destination, determined to complete my mission and return safely. The only sound now was my own labored breathing and the occasional clink of my gear against the rocks. The climb was easier than I thought it would be, there was no forest, no bushes, nothing was alive, it had all burned away in the blast and the forest fire after. There were piles of ash and I was glad I’d chosen to wear the hazmat suit. I wasn’t sure where the trail I used to follow to get up the mountain was, but I think I was close to it. It took almost a half-hour to get to the top. I’d have to hurry. When I got to the top, that’s when I saw lights. There were campfires over on Pine Peak to the south, and more to the east on Miller’s Bluff. I couldn’t see any lights coming from the north where the city had been, but that was fifty miles away and maybe too far to see if there were any campfires. I kicked at the ground looking for the housing unit to the permanent antenna that was buried in the ground, but if it was still here, I couldn’t find it. I wanted to plug into it to boost my signal. I gave up, the batteries I had with me would have to do. I would still have enough range to reach Uncle Paul’s ranch, but just barely. Once I had everything assembled and plugged in, I lifted the hand-set, pressed the button, and spoke: “Red Oak Ranch, Red Oak Ranch, this is Robinson Castle, over.” I waited. Nothing. I pushed the button again. “Red Oak Ranch, Red Oak Ranch, this is Robinson Castle, over.” I waited. Still nothing. I tried adjusting the antenna direction a little, checked the frequency I had for Uncle Paul, then pushed the button again. “Red Oak Ranch, Red Oak Ranch, this is Robinson Castle, over.” I waited… and then the radio crackled. I could barely hear the voice, but it was there. “Who is this?” It didn’t sound like Uncle Paul’s voice, and I wasn’t going to use my name. I thought for a second, I needed something only Uncle Paul would know. Of course, Uncle Paul had been up here to visit for a few weeks that one summer, only he would know this name. “This is Robinson Crusoe.” “Kid, you shouldn’t be playing on the radio, stop screwing around.” I needed to give them more, and I knew exactly what. When I was little and Uncle Paul would come to visit, I’d throw my arms wide and run to him shouting, “Other Papa Bear!” I pushed the button on the hand-set: “I know I have the right frequency, tell Other Papa Bear this is Robinson Crusoe.” “Hold on, kid, I’ll wake the boss up and we’ll go from there.” I waited, and I didn’t have to wait long. “Johnny, is that you?” This voice I recognized, it was Uncle Paul. “Uncle Paul! Yes, yes, yes, it’s me.” “Johnny, let me talk to Steven.” “He went to the hardware store right before the attack. He never came back.” I was almost crying now, my voice was cracking and my throat tight as I spoke. “Is Grandpa there with you.” “No, he wasn’t here when we arrived for the weekend.” “Johnny,” Uncle Paul said slowly. “Are you alone?” “Mr. Miller showed up, but he died the same day, so did Timmy and Tommy.” I decided not to give him details about Tommy. “Are you safe, stay in the bunker and don’t let anyone inside.” “Uncle Paul, the bunker is on lock-down and I don’t have the unlock codes. I can’t use the cameras, or radio, or even get inside the garage where the fire was. I had to use the escape hatch and bring the portable antenna to the top of the mountain.” “Johnny, the unlock code is your birthday. Now get back in the bunker and button up. You can use the shortwave to call me if you need anything.” “Uncle Paul, when will you get here?” There was a pause before he replied. “Johnny, it’s really bad out there with roaming gangs, tyrants setting up their own kingdoms, cults, and mobs of desperate starving people. We were hit really hard, nobody has heard from the government since it happened.” “But, you’re coming, right?” “Johnny, I’m sorry, it’s just not possible. We’re barricaded inside the ranch and… Johnny, I can’t make that trip, but you’ll be okay, you’ve got the bunker and plenty of food. Stay inside the bunker until things calm down, and call me if you need something.” “I understand, I’ll be fine,” I replied. “My air tank is almost empty, I have to go. Robinson Crusoe, out.” I flipped the radio off and unplugged it. Uncle Paul wasn’t coming, the family wasn’t coming, nobody was coming. It was all a lie, a fairytale. I was alone and that was it. I remember dad saying once that he wanted to sell the property, but I was little and it didn’t really register in my brain. The family had moved away long ago and whatever the bunker had been once upon a time, it was over. I checked my air tank, I only had 15 minutes left. I packed up the antenna, and headed back down the mountain. My air ran out before I got back to the bunker. I pulled the breathing mask off and kept running. When I got to the main blast doors, I tapped in my birthday on the control pad. I heard the big locks disengage, and the door swing open. I didn’t let the doors open all the way. I hurried inside and tapped on the keypad to close the doors again. I leaned against the blast doors, fighting the tears streaming down my face. They’d abandoned me. I was physically and mentally exhausted and just wanted to go to bed now. I tapped the keypad for the internal blast doors. They opened, and I walked inside. I was heading down the hall towards the ramp down to the fourth level when I stopped and the blood in my veins froze. I could see into the main kitchen I didn’t use, and on the table were three opened cans of peaches, with three spoons sticking out of the cans. I turned around and ran back to the keypad at the internal blast doors and re-entered the lock-down code. The inner blast doors swung shut with a bang that made me cringe. My heart pounded in my chest. The escape hatch! I had carelessly left it unlocked. In a panic, I raised my rifle and aimed it at every corner, realizing that whoever had entered knew I was back. This was once my safe haven, but now it felt like a trap waiting to spring at any moment. Grandpa Walter emerged from the shadows, his face etched with a mix of anger and worry. "Can you lend me a hand?" I asked, feeling desperate for his help. But he shook his head solemnly. "I'm not allowed to interfere," he said. "Keep your distance from them and use your rifle. Only use your handguns as a last resort. You’ll survive this if you keep your head." Grandma Rose appeared by my side, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Defend our land," she whispered fiercely. "Defend our family." "There is no family," I protested, my heart heavy with the realization that they were not coming. "Don't give up hope, little oak," Grandma insisted, her voice filled with determination. "There's family already on the way, I promise you." Despite her words, it seemed unlikely. With a heavy sigh, I began to cautiously search for the intruders, steeling myself for whatever may come.